Bleach

Bleach is a Japanese anime television series based on 
Tite Kubo's manga of the same name. It was produced by
 Studio Pierrot and directed by Noriyuki Abe. The series aired on TV Tokyo from October 2004 to March 2012, spanning 366 episodes. The story follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a Soul Reaper—a death personification similar to the 
Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki.
His newfound powers force him to take on the duties of defending humans from evil spirits and guiding departed souls to the afterlife.
The anime adaptation includes original storylines not found in the manga with repeated appearances and stories containing these original characters.

The Name Bleach Was Picked Very CarefullyI

If you have ever wondered why Bleach is called such, then you don’t have to guess for long. Tite Kubo chose the name Bleach because contrasts with the black color which shinigami wear. The title is also meant to allude to yin and yang because of the black-and-white motif. Kubo hoped the phrase would be seen as a rebellious one that prefaces Ichigo’s delinquent nature. So, no - the anime's name has nothing to do with Ichigo and his orange-blonde hair.

Rukia Was Originally Bleach’s Main Character

When Tite Kubo first thought up Bleach, the story was very different. The series was initially going to be titled ‘’ and its main character wasn’t Ichigo. Instead, the artist felt that Rukia should be the main protagonist. Kubo drew up the character and envisioned her wielding a scythe while all the other characters carried guns. Part of this design was eventually scene in Bleach when the film Bleach: Fade to Black made its debut.

Bleach Was Rejected By Shonen Jump At First

Weekly Shonen Jump is the big-name publisher in Japan which houses most shonen titles, but it almost missed out on Bleach. Tite Kubo originally had his pitch for Bleach denied by the magazine as the publication already had a full schedule. However, a mentor to Kubo stepped in and encouraged him to keep trying. Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, penned a letter asking Kubo to continue on with Bleach. So, if you are a fan of the series, then you have Toriyama to thank.

Kon Has A Really Sad Backstory

In Bleach, there are few characters who are as loud and overtly perverted as Kon. The stuffed animal houses the substitute souls which Ichigo uses whenever he ditches his human form to become a shinigami. While Kon may be eccentric in the anime, Tite Kubo has said the animal’s origin is a sad one. The creator chose to draw up the character after he watched a young boy throw away a cheap stuffed animal. Apparently, the kid’s father didn’t pony up for a more expensive toy which made the boy angry. As such, Kon was introduced to Bleach as a substitute soul selected for elimination, but Ichigo wound up giving the brat a new lease on life.

One Character’s Name Was Changed To Avoid Controversy

Out of all the females in Bleach, Yoruichi continues to be a fan-favorite. As a former Soul Society captain, the shinigami is a force to be reckoned with, and her longtime friendship with Kisuke Urahara is enough to make anyone declare squad goals. However, when Tite Kubo was trying to name the exotic character, he decided a change of name was needed. At first, the character bore the name Yoruichi Shihouin Kuroneko which means ‘Black Cat’ in Japanese. Kubo felt the name might spur a racial debate given the character’s POC nature. As such, he simply shorted her name to Yoruichi.

In March 2020, it was announced that the manga's final story arc, "Thousand-Year Blood War", would receive an anime adaptation.